Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve updated. Life has been a bit busy, what with vacation (HOT azz Reno) and just being summer. I think I’ll be back in the swing of things next week. My birthday is Monday, and I plan to go to Boordy Vineyards tomorrow to have some wine, tour the vineyard and relax with friends. The band playing is a British invasion band so I’m thinking Beetles tributes are in my future. Hope they’ll be good, but I’d wager after my third glass of wine, they may be the best darn band in the world.
Some people think this sounds sad, but I’m making my own b-day cake—lol. I’m not really making my own cake. One of my best friends’ birthday is the same day, and she’ll be at the vineyard too, so I’m kinda making it for her. But the real reason I’m making my own cake is because I was watching this show called The Oprah Effect. They featured this cake company called We Take the Cake. Well they have this cake called a key lime cake. It looked so good that I’m going to try to make it! There isn’t a location near me, and I don’t have time to order one from them…besides, I fashion myself a pretty good baker. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
To round off my b-day weekend, some friends and I are heading to Annapolis on Sunday to have brunch at a restaurant called Buddies. They have the best buffet, and I don’t even like buffets! Then we’ll walk by the water and look at all the shops…that is, if it’s not an ungodly rain like it’s been for the past few days.
Now, I’m off to watch a few more episodes of Supernatural, do a fangirl squee over Jensen Ackles, and then head off to bed.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Back to the Drawing Board…
Well, I’ve received a rejection from the last agent who had my full. She gave me some good feedback—some I’ll be taking and some I won’t. I sat on the feedback for a few days. I had to read over the email again with a brain that wasn’t clogged with disappointment and my ears weren’t ringing with sadness, (dramatic, aren’t I?).
I don’t want to be the type of writer who can’t take feedback because lord knows that would be the death of my career, but I also don’t want to be the type of writer who takes everything that someone says to me and runs with it.
Unless I’m truly delusional, I think I have a healthy balance. One of the things this agent said was that I could build the world a bit more. She felt like it was whole in my head but lacked a bit on the page. She was right. I didn’t have to think twice to answer the questions she posed to make my world more substantial. So obviously I had these world building facts fleshed out, but hadn’t put them to work in my story. I sprinkled them into my ms, and hopefully solved that issue.
This next thing she said was what I decided not to take. My story is told in the pov of more than one character. It’s not head-hopping, but as I’m sure you have all read a story that will give you say, the killer’s pov and then the cop, and then the protagonist, this is sort of what I do except I don’t have a killer or a cop-lol. The agent felt that I did myself a disservice by doing this, and maybe I should consider telling the story wholly from the female or male lead character. The majority of the book is told from the male lead’s pov, and I feel like I would lose something crucial to my story if I changed it all to his pov or maybe the female's.
I realized, (when I was through being bummed) that this agent--as much as I love her personality--was probably not the one for me. I know it’s what we all tell ourselves when we're rejected, but if she doesn’t care for something that is actually my style of writing, and something I’ll most likely do in all or most of the books I write, then she would probably have a problem with every one of my manuscripts. Granted, like she said, I might be doing myself a disservice and I guess only time will tell, but I have to be true to what I believe is right for my story, my writing style and my writing career.
And now I have compiled a new list of agents, revamped my query and when I get back from vacation, I’ll get back out there into the big bad world of querying!
I don’t want to be the type of writer who can’t take feedback because lord knows that would be the death of my career, but I also don’t want to be the type of writer who takes everything that someone says to me and runs with it.
Unless I’m truly delusional, I think I have a healthy balance. One of the things this agent said was that I could build the world a bit more. She felt like it was whole in my head but lacked a bit on the page. She was right. I didn’t have to think twice to answer the questions she posed to make my world more substantial. So obviously I had these world building facts fleshed out, but hadn’t put them to work in my story. I sprinkled them into my ms, and hopefully solved that issue.
This next thing she said was what I decided not to take. My story is told in the pov of more than one character. It’s not head-hopping, but as I’m sure you have all read a story that will give you say, the killer’s pov and then the cop, and then the protagonist, this is sort of what I do except I don’t have a killer or a cop-lol. The agent felt that I did myself a disservice by doing this, and maybe I should consider telling the story wholly from the female or male lead character. The majority of the book is told from the male lead’s pov, and I feel like I would lose something crucial to my story if I changed it all to his pov or maybe the female's.
I realized, (when I was through being bummed) that this agent--as much as I love her personality--was probably not the one for me. I know it’s what we all tell ourselves when we're rejected, but if she doesn’t care for something that is actually my style of writing, and something I’ll most likely do in all or most of the books I write, then she would probably have a problem with every one of my manuscripts. Granted, like she said, I might be doing myself a disservice and I guess only time will tell, but I have to be true to what I believe is right for my story, my writing style and my writing career.
And now I have compiled a new list of agents, revamped my query and when I get back from vacation, I’ll get back out there into the big bad world of querying!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Yes/No
I tagged this from Jeaniene Frost’s blog. Feel free to tag it yourself. I swear it was hard not to explain some of these answers.
The Rules:
1. You can ONLY answer 'Yes' or 'No'.
2. You are NOT ALLOWED to explain ANYTHING unless someone comments and asks you.
Kissed any one of your LiveJournal friends? — no
Been arrested? — no
Kissed someone you didn't like? — yes
Slept in until 5 PM? — no
Fallen asleep at work/school? — yes
Held a snake? — yes
Ran a red light? — yes
Been suspended from school? — no
Experienced love at first sight? — no
Totaled your car in an accident? — yes
Been fired from a job? — yes
Fired somebody? — no
Sung karaoke? — yes
Pointed a gun at someone? — yes
Did something you told yourself you wouldn't? — yes
Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? — no
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? — yes
Kissed in the rain? — yes
Had a close brush with death (your own)? — yes
Saw someone die? — no
Played Spin-the-Bottle? — no
Smoked a cigar? — yes
Sat on a rooftop? — yes
Smuggled something into another country? — no
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes? — no
Broken a bone? — no
Skipped school? — yes
Eaten a bug? — no
Sleepwalked? — no
Walked on a moonlit beach? — yes
Ridden a motorcycle? — yes
Dumped someone? — yes
Forgotten your anniversary? — no
Lied to avoid a ticket? — yes
Ridden in a helicopter? — no
Shaved your head? — no
Blacked out from drinking? — no
Played a prank on someone? — yes
Hit a home run? — no
Felt like killing someone? — yes
Cross-dressed? — yes
Been falling-down drunk? — no
Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? — yes
Eaten snake? — no
Marched/Protested? — yes
Had Mexican jumping beans for pets? — no
Puked on an amusement ride? — no
Seriously & intentionally boycotted something? — yes
Knitted? — yes
Been on TV? — yes
Shot a gun? — yes
Skinny-dipped? — no
Given someone stitches? — no
Eaten a whole habenero pepper? — no
Ridden a surfboard? — no
Drunk straight from a liquor bottle? — yes
Had surgery? — yes
Streaked? — no
Been taken by ambulance to a hospital? — no
Tripped on mushrooms? — no
Passed out when NOT drinking? — no
Peed on a bush? — yes
Donated Blood? — yes
Grabbed electric fence? — yes
Eaten alligator meat? -- no
Eaten cheesecake? — yes
Killed an animal when not hunting? — yes
Peed your pants in public? — no
Snuck into a movie without paying? -- yes
Written graffiti? — yes
Still love someone you shouldn't? — no
Think about the future? — yes
Been in handcuffs? — no
Believe in love? — yes
Sleep on a certain side of the bed? — yes
The Rules:
1. You can ONLY answer 'Yes' or 'No'.
2. You are NOT ALLOWED to explain ANYTHING unless someone comments and asks you.
Kissed any one of your LiveJournal friends? — no
Been arrested? — no
Kissed someone you didn't like? — yes
Slept in until 5 PM? — no
Fallen asleep at work/school? — yes
Held a snake? — yes
Ran a red light? — yes
Been suspended from school? — no
Experienced love at first sight? — no
Totaled your car in an accident? — yes
Been fired from a job? — yes
Fired somebody? — no
Sung karaoke? — yes
Pointed a gun at someone? — yes
Did something you told yourself you wouldn't? — yes
Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? — no
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? — yes
Kissed in the rain? — yes
Had a close brush with death (your own)? — yes
Saw someone die? — no
Played Spin-the-Bottle? — no
Smoked a cigar? — yes
Sat on a rooftop? — yes
Smuggled something into another country? — no
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes? — no
Broken a bone? — no
Skipped school? — yes
Eaten a bug? — no
Sleepwalked? — no
Walked on a moonlit beach? — yes
Ridden a motorcycle? — yes
Dumped someone? — yes
Forgotten your anniversary? — no
Lied to avoid a ticket? — yes
Ridden in a helicopter? — no
Shaved your head? — no
Blacked out from drinking? — no
Played a prank on someone? — yes
Hit a home run? — no
Felt like killing someone? — yes
Cross-dressed? — yes
Been falling-down drunk? — no
Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? — yes
Eaten snake? — no
Marched/Protested? — yes
Had Mexican jumping beans for pets? — no
Puked on an amusement ride? — no
Seriously & intentionally boycotted something? — yes
Knitted? — yes
Been on TV? — yes
Shot a gun? — yes
Skinny-dipped? — no
Given someone stitches? — no
Eaten a whole habenero pepper? — no
Ridden a surfboard? — no
Drunk straight from a liquor bottle? — yes
Had surgery? — yes
Streaked? — no
Been taken by ambulance to a hospital? — no
Tripped on mushrooms? — no
Passed out when NOT drinking? — no
Peed on a bush? — yes
Donated Blood? — yes
Grabbed electric fence? — yes
Eaten alligator meat? -- no
Eaten cheesecake? — yes
Killed an animal when not hunting? — yes
Peed your pants in public? — no
Snuck into a movie without paying? -- yes
Written graffiti? — yes
Still love someone you shouldn't? — no
Think about the future? — yes
Been in handcuffs? — no
Believe in love? — yes
Sleep on a certain side of the bed? — yes
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Writing Prompts
So, super agent Daphne Unfeasible (aka KT Literary) issued a holiday writing prompt on her fantastic blog yesterday. I’m not usually one who can do writing prompts because it kinda feels like an assignment/homework, and if you know me you know I HATED homework! So, I didn’t really think I’d do this, but one of the prompts stood out to me, and I thought of a brief scene. Of the three offered, I chose: I didn’t actually expect to go swimming….
Tell me what you think…hope I got all the typos :-o
My father was a total tyrant! Why he felt the need to make me re-mow the lawn and on the hottest day of the year was beyond me. Okay, so maybe I was grounded and maybe I took his car without permission, but this could be classified as child abuse. From inside the air-conditioned house, my mother peered out of the window giving me the, I’m sorry face—not a sweat bead in sight.
I had long since snatched off my shirt, and draped it over my head, trying to stave off the sun from frying my brain. The lawn mower barely spit out any cut grass, but enough that I’d still have to rake before I could even think about going inside.
Finished with the front, I shut off the motor to head around back. You’d think my dad would get a riding mower for the acres of land behind the house, but no, he had a young strapping son so why bother with that expense.
“Hey, Eric.”
I turned and had to struggle to keep my mouth from flopping open as Marianne Weeks stood in front of me clad in a stars and strips bikini. Her copper hair shimmered in the scorching sun and she squinted pale green eyes at me. I swallowed and fought to keep my eyes north of her bikini top. It was a struggle.
“H-hey Marianne. What brings you by?”
She sucked on a firecracker popsicle that was rapidly melting. “Well…” She smiled sweetly with red tinted lips. “It’s so hot out, thought I’d come by and see if I could take a quick dip in your pool.”
Marianne and I used to swim together all the time, back when we were like six. Fast forward ten years, and Marianne hung with the popular kids and I, well…didn’t. She was still nice to me even if her friends weren’t.
Popsicle juice dripped down her hand, somehow making me thirstier. As if reading my mind, or perhaps reacting to the ravenous way I was staring at her, she offered the red, white and blue popsicle. I took it and slurped it off the stick in a single suck.
“Wow, thirsty?” She giggled.
“Sorry," I said, chewing the ice cold popsicle and trying to ignore the brain-freeze stabbing its way through my head. "I’ve just been cutting this grass forever.”
“So come take a dip with me.” She reached out and took my hand.
I glanced down at the lawnmower, at our linked hands, and then over my shoulder at the patio doors. My parents were nowhere in sight, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t pop up soon. But it was Marianne Weeks for crying out loud! If I didn’t take this opportunity my friends would forever curse my name.
Drumming up my courage, I decided to go for it. Hell, I was already grounded, may as well have a good reason for being incarcerated.
“Okay,” I said, already moving toward the glistening pool, “but we can’t be long cause we’re having people over for the 4th.”
Now running, we dove into the pool, laughing and screaming. That first blast of cool water was like slicing into heaven. I hadn’t actually expected to go swimming today, but even if my father grounded me until the ice age returned, I would never regret splashing in the pool with Marianne.
Tell me what you think…hope I got all the typos :-o
My father was a total tyrant! Why he felt the need to make me re-mow the lawn and on the hottest day of the year was beyond me. Okay, so maybe I was grounded and maybe I took his car without permission, but this could be classified as child abuse. From inside the air-conditioned house, my mother peered out of the window giving me the, I’m sorry face—not a sweat bead in sight.
I had long since snatched off my shirt, and draped it over my head, trying to stave off the sun from frying my brain. The lawn mower barely spit out any cut grass, but enough that I’d still have to rake before I could even think about going inside.
Finished with the front, I shut off the motor to head around back. You’d think my dad would get a riding mower for the acres of land behind the house, but no, he had a young strapping son so why bother with that expense.
“Hey, Eric.”
I turned and had to struggle to keep my mouth from flopping open as Marianne Weeks stood in front of me clad in a stars and strips bikini. Her copper hair shimmered in the scorching sun and she squinted pale green eyes at me. I swallowed and fought to keep my eyes north of her bikini top. It was a struggle.
“H-hey Marianne. What brings you by?”
She sucked on a firecracker popsicle that was rapidly melting. “Well…” She smiled sweetly with red tinted lips. “It’s so hot out, thought I’d come by and see if I could take a quick dip in your pool.”
Marianne and I used to swim together all the time, back when we were like six. Fast forward ten years, and Marianne hung with the popular kids and I, well…didn’t. She was still nice to me even if her friends weren’t.
Popsicle juice dripped down her hand, somehow making me thirstier. As if reading my mind, or perhaps reacting to the ravenous way I was staring at her, she offered the red, white and blue popsicle. I took it and slurped it off the stick in a single suck.
“Wow, thirsty?” She giggled.
“Sorry," I said, chewing the ice cold popsicle and trying to ignore the brain-freeze stabbing its way through my head. "I’ve just been cutting this grass forever.”
“So come take a dip with me.” She reached out and took my hand.
I glanced down at the lawnmower, at our linked hands, and then over my shoulder at the patio doors. My parents were nowhere in sight, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t pop up soon. But it was Marianne Weeks for crying out loud! If I didn’t take this opportunity my friends would forever curse my name.
Drumming up my courage, I decided to go for it. Hell, I was already grounded, may as well have a good reason for being incarcerated.
“Okay,” I said, already moving toward the glistening pool, “but we can’t be long cause we’re having people over for the 4th.”
Now running, we dove into the pool, laughing and screaming. That first blast of cool water was like slicing into heaven. I hadn’t actually expected to go swimming today, but even if my father grounded me until the ice age returned, I would never regret splashing in the pool with Marianne.
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